Why Do You Do This To Me?
by XxXxDarkVampirexXxX
Summary: Harry is to come to Hogwarts early and spend a month alone with only two professors-both of whom he despises. They both learn that they know nothing about him, and Harry begins to question the grandfatherly man he had always admired. Summary subject to change. Grey!HP Minor bashing!AD. Slash fic!
1. Chapter 1

**Yo. Erm, well I wasn't going to post this until it was done, but I've hit a major block and have no idea where it's going. It started out as a Light fic, but I think it's going to end up Dark instead-maybe. I really don't know yet. Just give it a shot. Oh, POVs change around a bit, but I mark when it happens, and I'm sorry if characters are a bit ooc-haven't mastered that yet. Also, mentions of abuse-nothing detailed.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters...**

HP POV

Darkness enveloped him in the dark, closed space. Fifteen year old Harry Potter turned to his side on the small mattress from his old cot wishing he could stretch his legs. It was nearing the end of July and it had been just about three weeks since Dumbledore had mailed the Dursleys, telling them that Sirius had died.

The Dursleys had been very pleased to learn this. They had once again locked him in the cupboard under the stairs, and had locked his school stuff upstairs in his bedroom. He hadn't even been able to grab his wand or cloak or anything, since he hadn't been expecting it. How was he supposed to know that Dumbledore was going to tell them about Sirius? He had assumed that Dumbledore was expecting him to tell his relatives, not that he'd take it upon himself.

Harry sighed softly in the darkness. He was trying to ignore all the pain he was in from the multiple beatings he had received since his return this summer. When his stomach rumbled, he ignored that too, but wondered how many days it had been since he had last eaten.

This wasn't how he wanted to mourn his godfather...

* * *

SS POV

Severus Snape was stalking back to his personal quarters at Hogwarts, a glower on his face, not that anyone was there to see it. He shoved the door open, before slamming it shut behind him.

"Well then, I'm glad to see that you're happy."

Severus shot a vicious glare at the man who had spoken. "Not now, Lucius."

Lucius Malfoy, lounging back on the couch with a glass of Firewhiskey in hand, watched in amusement as the Potions Master began to pace. "Come now, Severus, whatever the old man had to say couldn't be _that_ bad." He sipped his whiskey. "What did he want anyway?"

Severus collapsed into an armchair and ran a hand through his hair, absently glowering at the oiliness-he'd been standing over a cauldron all morning. "He wishes for me to get Potter and bring him here early."

Now the blond was even more amused. "Is that all?"

Severus rounded on him immediately, his head snapping up. "All?!" he repeated. "I've better things to do during my vacation than see Pampered Prince Potter," he spat. "Why Albus wants the boy here a month early I will never understand."

Lucius laughed. "You're acting like a child, my friend."

"Shut up."

"You're going to have to do it, Severus. It cannot take you more than ten minutes."

Severus continued to glower, then without a word, left, leaving Lucius in his quarters, laughing his fancy blond head off...

* * *

HP POV

As Harry lay there in darkness, ignoring the grumbling and groaning of his empty stomach, he was very glad that he had managed to get Hedwig out of her cage before he'd been shoved into the cupboard. Merlin only knew what her condition would be if she'd been locked up without food like him.

Harry had absolutely no sense of time any more, especially not after the lightbulb had burnt out. He had no idea what day it was, or how long he'd been here for, how much longer he would be here for.

"Get out here, boy! Now!"

Harry started at his uncle's voice, and the unmistakable sound of the deadbolt being pulled back. Not wanting to keep Uncle Vernon waiting, he quickly pushed open the door, a hand immediately coming to shield his eyes from the bright light. He hadn't been out of that dark cupboard for days and was in no way used to the light.

Considering his uncle wanted to talk in the hallway and took up most of the space in it, the teen was left to lean back against the wall. He was perfectly fine with that since he doubted his legs would support him anyway.

"What is the meaning of this, boy?!" growled the large man, grabbing his shoulder and shaking him. In his other hand, he had a scrunched up piece of parchment.

Holding his broken glasses in place, Harry took the sheet from his uncle and smoothed it out so he could read it.

_Dear Harry,_

_For reasons I cannot explain at the present moment, I have decided to bring you up to Hogwarts a little early. I realize that you may not wish to acquiesce with my request, but it is for the best, my boy, even if it means that you are to return to school during the holiday. _

_Unless there is some sort of delay, and I shall be sure to contact you if there is, someone will be along to pick you up Sunday at noon._

_Until then,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

Harry couldn't believe his eyes. Was this some sort of sick joke? Did he really get to leave the Dursleys early? _Sunday at noon? What day is it today? Uncle Vernon's home, so it has to be the weekend, and I don't think I heard the post arrive today..._

Aunt Petunia suddenly rushed into the hallway, looking worried. "Vernon! Those freaks will be here in less than half an hour!"

Uncle Vernon scowled and roughly shoved Harry towards the stairs. "Go clean yourself up, _Freak_."

Harry didn't hesitate. Pulling himself off the ground, he rushed up the stairs. He grabbed some clean clothes from his room; Dudley's hand me downs naturally, then headed into the bathroom and jumped into the shower, ignoring the throbbing in his head where he had hit the edge of the bottom step. He normally wasn't this eager to bathe, but it had been a while. Once he was finished (he made sure not to take too long) Harry returned to the front hallway, only to find that his trunk, broomstick and Hedwig's empty cage had been brought down, and Uncle Vernon was _attempting_ to _politely_ speak to someone at the door.

Uncle Vernon turned to him. "Get over here, boy. And don't you dare darken our doorstep until next summer."

"Yes, Uncle Vernon," said Harry quietly, expertly avoiding eye contact. He took the end of his trunk and began to drag it to the door, after having balanced the broom and cage on top of it. Just as he actually managed to reach the door, his uncle grabbed him by the scruff of the neck.

"One word about your treatment in my home, boy, one word at all- you will regret it."

"Yes, Uncle Vernon," Harry repeated. He slipped through the barely open door, able to get through because of how thin he was, and dragged his trunk along with him. It took quite a bit of effort. And because of this effort, he didn't realize who was standing in front of him. Not until this person spoke.

"I do not have all day, Mr Potter."

Harry's head snapped up. "Snape...?!" For a moment he felt as if he were already back in school. The professor was dressed as he always was in those dark trousers and the frock cost with more buttons than he could bother to count. But he didn't have his robes so at least he was _trying_ to fit in with the Muggles...not that any of the people in Privet Drive would appreciate his look either way. No one here dressed like Snape did.

The man sneered. "It may be the middle of summer vacation, Potter, but I still expect a show of respect."

"Yes sir," said Harry, quickly lowering his head and missing the confused look that crossed Snape's face. He looked up again when Snape tapped his large trunk with his wand, shrinking it, doing the same to his Firebolt and familiar's cage. Harry pocketed them right away, muttering his thanks.

"Follow me, Potter."

Unable to find the energy to complain, Harry did as told and followed the man down the street. Neither of them spoke and Harry fought to keep up with his quick, long strides. Snape didn't seem to realize that he was struggling though, and he sure as hell wasn't about to tell the man so. The man looked a little strange without his robes billowing about behind him. The thought of that very nearly made him smile. Nearly.

Snape finally came to a stop at the end of the street, and held out his arm. Harry stared and the man released an irritated sigh. "Grip my arm, Mr Potter."

"Why?" questioned Harry quickly before he could stop himself.

The man merely raised a brow. "That's why, _Sir_, Potter." He paused. "We will be Apparating to Hogwarts. You do not know how to do this yet, and will have to side-along Apparate with me. So grip my arm, Mr Potter."

Aware he had no choice, Harry reached out and grabbed hold of the Potions Master's right arm.

"Tighter," was all Snape said.

Harry tried to do so.

The man let out a breath. "I will not bite you, Potter. You must tighten your grip lest you get lost in the midst of the Apparation or splinch yourself."

Harry tried again, but Snape didn't seem to think it was hard enough. "I can't..." he said quietly. He knew Snape was staring at him, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything more.

"Very well."

Harry flinched when Snape took his arm in a tight grip. The man turned on the spot and with what sounded like a crack, they vanished. Harry felt as if he were being pulled or perhaps pushed through a very tight tube. He tried to move but couldn't, so he tried to yell and was unable to do that either. He could however, still feel Snape's hand gripping his wrist very tightly. It took Harry a moment longer to realize that he couldn't breathe. Odd considering how that should have been the first thing he noticed.

Then suddenly his feet hit the solid ground, his knees buckled, his stomach churned and Harry knew that if he had had anything in his stomach it would have all come up right then. He was a little surprised when Snape didn't let go of his wrist immediately, instead waiting until he had gotten his balance back before doing so.

Harry watched silently as the man pulled out his wand and tapped the large gates in front of them. They had Apparated just outside the gates to Hogwarts.

"Come," said Snape when said gates had opened enough for them to enter.

Harry followed his professor up the gravel walk, head tipped back as he stared up at the massive castle. He still couldn't believe this was really happening, that he had been able to leave the Dursleys so soon. A small, barely noticeable smile crept onto his face.

Harry Potter was home...

Snape didn't stop until they were in the Entrance Hall, and Harry followed his lead. They stood there facing one another, but Harry wasn't planning on speaking first.

Snape soon began to speak, though he remained expressionless. "It may be the holiday, Potter, but you are mistaken if you believe you will not be subjected to rules."

Harry filled with apprehension at these words, wondering what said rules would be. He doubted Snape's rules would be as...Durslyish as his relatives', but he simply nodded his head.

"While you are here, you will sleep in your dormitory and no doubt spend the majority of your time in your Common Room. As it is the summer break, no password is required to enter Gryffindor Tower."

"Yes Sir, but am I not allowed to leave the tower?"

"No doubt you will find that impossible," the man sneered. "No, you may go wherever you wish save for the places that are _normally_ restricted, arrogant father's cloak or not."

Harry just nodded again, pleased that he wouldn't be confined like at the Dursleys. It was the entire castle versus his cupboard after all.

Eyes narrowed slightly, Snape went on. "Save for myself there is only one other professor in the castle this summer and no one else, therefore you are to come to us if you are ill or in need of something."

Harry frowned. "But what if I need something at like, three in the morning? Professor?" he added. Not that he ever would go to them or anything.

"You are still to come to one of us. Poppy is not here, and I doubt you know how to care for yourself when ill, naturally being so used to being waited on hand and foot." Snape was sneering again.

Harry nearly snorted at that. This man, his professor clearly knew nothing about him. "Yes, sir." He hesitated as another thought came to him. "Er- am I allowed to fly?"

Snape silently regarded him for a moment. "You may, but are required to inform either myself or the other professor when you plan on doing so."

Though slightly annoying, Harry could live with it and gave another nod. "Do I er- have a curfew or something?"

"You do. You are expected to be in your Common Room no later than ten. Also, you are to eat all meals in the Great Hall. Breakfast will be at nine, lunch at noon, and dinner at six. Am I understood? Or did all this go flying over your head as my lectures in class do?"

"I understand. Sir."

"Very well. You are dismissed."

Not wanting to stay near Snape any longer, Harry rushed towards the staircase, but had no choice but to slow down once he began the climb. He knew he was far too weak and in way too much pain to be climbing so many stairs, but it wasn't like he had much of a choice. Harry began his long trek up to Gryffindor Tower able to feel Snape staring at him intently, leaving him more than a little disconcerted. He also realized that the Potion's Master hadn't told him who the other professor staying in the castle was. How odd...

* * *

LM POV

Lucius was still seated in Severus' sitting room, flipping through a tome in his lap as he sipped a glass of Firewhiskey. He was waiting for his friend to return. When he had said ten minutes, he had meant ten minutes, not twenty. Severus was taking far longer than he had expected. The man briefly wondered if something unexpected had occurred, but barely had the time to dwell on this for it was right then that Severus chose to return.

"Finally back? It took you long enough."

"And _why_ are you still here?"

"Oh, how you wound me." He took another sip of his drink, watching his old friend sink into an armchair and summon a snifter of whiskey for himself. The normally dour man looked a little worried, something Lucius would never have noticed if he were not so close to the man. When Severus downed half his drink in one go, Lucius' brow rose. That was odd. "Is something bothering you?"

Severus replied with a scowl, which in most cases would have assured Lucius that everything was alright, but right now only confirmed that something was indeed amiss. But the Potion's Master didn't speak and the blond man decided that maybe it would just be best if he waited. Again. And he did so...

"There is something wrong with Potter," said Severus suddenly, pulling Lucius' attention away from the fascinating book on vampires that he was in the midst of reading.

When Lucius looked at Severus, he found him in a rather vulnerable position. He was reclining in his armchair, head tilted back, a forearm across his eyes. "Wrong? How so?" wondered Lucius, clearly curious. He couldn't help it. Whatever it was with Potter, it had deeply affected the man before him.

There was a pause before the black haired man replied, as if he were carefully choosing his words. "The boy was practically skin and bones, Lucius, and oddly...subdued."

"Subdued?" Lucius repeated, confused.

"He was behaving more like a Hufflepuff than the Gryffindor that he is. Merlin, the only time he even raised his voice was when he first saw me, and all he said then was my name. He posed the expected questions, and did not even question why he was brought here so early. He had absolutely no strength either. His attempt to grip my arm for the side-along Apparation clearly showed me that."

Lucius frowned. "Severus, are you really suggesting _that_?"

"I do not know _what_ I am suggesting, Lucius. All I know is that Potter was not acting like Potter."

Lucius, not wanting to think it was anything else, said, "The boy just lost his godfather, Severus. Perhaps this is simply his grieving method, wrong though it may be."

It took the other man a long time to respond. "...Perhaps, though I pray that it is."

Lucius fell silent and let Severus be for the time being. He tried to recall all the things Draco had told him about Harry Potter. Most didn't stick out at all, just the usual complaints, but there _had_ been a couple of odd things, now that he thought about it...

_"Father, you said the Potters had a fortune that could rival even ours, right?"_

_"I did, son, yes. Why?"_

_"Then why does Potter dress in rags? He dresses worse than those Weasleys sometimes and that's really saying something."_

_"I don't know, Draco. Perhaps Potter simply enjoys dressing like that."_

What else had there been?

_"Potter's so thin that I find it a miracle he can even manage to stay on a broom without being blown off. And you know, Father, I think he wears a Glamour too. ...I wonder why?"_

Draco had gone on for much longer, but those were the only things that really stuck out to Lucius. He had never put much thought in his son's complaints about Harry Potter, but now he wondered whether that had been the right choice...

**And that's it for now. I have some more written up, but I'll need to find time to edit, type, edit again, and post it up. I am totally open to any suggestions for what should happen. I'm also debating on whether or not Lucius and Severus should already be together, and then add Harry into the mix, making it a triad-or both fall for Harry and decide to go for him together. Let me know what you think. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Yo. Wow, I'm so happy that you guys are liking this so far, especially considering I came up with all this in like, two weeks. Thank you to all readers so far and I hope you read the AN at the end, because it's pretty important. Mentions of abuse-nothing detailed.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters...**

HP POV

"Sirius!" Harry awoke in a cold sweat. Breathing heavily, he lay in bed, stiff as a board, waiting for the tell-tale sounds of his uncle coming down the stairs to beat him for waking him with a nightmare. Again. But when he heard nothing, he was very confused. It took him a good five minutes to recall the events from the previous day. He was at Hogwarts, not Privet Drive. Snape was here, but Uncle Vernon wasn't. He was safe, well, relatively at least. Harry finally relaxed, fear seeping out of him slowly. _I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine_, he repeated silently, the familiar mantra calming him down.

Harry checked the time and sighed. It was only three in the morning. He knew he wasn't about to get any more sleep, so he slipped out of his bed and made his way down to the Common Room, sinking into his favourite armchair near the crackling, yet dimming fire. He was always cold after nightmares.

The teen's mind soon began to wander, but he tried desperately to not think about the Ministry, Sirius, Grimmauld Place, the Order, Death Eaters, Voldemort, Dumbledore, anything relating to the war. Unfortunately, Harry's entire life revolved around the war, and he didn't have much else to think about. He didn't want to think about Privet Drive either, and the thought of his friends only made him miss them more.

In the end Harry was unaware that he had completely zoned out. He was just staring at the flames, not a single thought running through his mind. Harry remained in a stupor for hours and it wasn't until the sound of an insistent hooting of a nearby owl, that he was finally pulled out of it.

"Hedwig...?" Harry sat up, confused. He quickly headed over to the window where his snowy owl was perched. Pushing the window open, he watched Hedwig hop inside. She hooted dolefully, sounding rather sad, as if she understood his anguish. He often thought she did. Smiling softly, he stroked his owl's feathers while she gently nipped at the fingers belonging to his other hand. Harry sighed, remembering how Snape had told him that he was to take his meals in the Great Hall. "I'm going to have to do this, huh?"

Hedwig gave a hoot of affirmation, and Harry sighed again. "I know, girl." He pulled away. "Go to the Owlery, get some rest. I'll be here." The owl hooted again before flying off, leaving Harry alone once more.

Harry pulled out his wand and then paused. Was he allowed to use magic? The rule was that they weren't to use magic outside of school, right? So now that he was back at Hogwarts, summer holiday or not, shouldn't it be okay if he did? Harry fingered his wand as he thought. He didn't want to get in trouble with the Ministry again, but there was no way he was going to leave Gryffindor Tower without his Glamour-not that Snape had noticed anything odd the day before. Though Harry figured it was because the man had been too angry to pay attention.

Tentatively, he casted it, then waited for a Ministry owl. When nothing happened, he went for Tempus. It was nearly nine. Nearly time for breakfast. Harry had now used magic twice and it didn't look as if anyone was coming to expel or arrest him. Maybe he ought to confirm with Snape and the other professor though. Just in case...

When Harry entered the Great Hall ten minutes later, he was pleased to see that it was void of life. A single table sat in the middle of the Hall, set for three. Approaching, Harry groaned inwardly. There really was no getting around this. He sat down and food immediately appeared before him. The teen stared at the toast, bacon, and eggs on his plate, the goblet of milk beside it. He hadn't eaten in so long, yet he didn't feel hungry.

No, it wasn't that, he amended as his stomach churned and twisted in hunger, the problem was that he felt too sick to eat. He was still in so much pain. Harry wondered if he'd be able to pilfer a Pain Relief potion from the Hospital Wing. He knew he probably ought to tell Snape he was in pain, but he _really_ didn't want to explain _why_, and he _knew_ the man would ask.

He was sitting there picking at his food when he heard footsteps approaching him. He knew this was Snape and the other professor, so he said nothing, continuing to poke at what he should have been eating. He didn't look up when the other two sat down across him.

"Good morning, Mr Potter."

"It seems you _are_ able to follow simple instructions."

The second voice, Snape's, didn't surprise Harry at all. It was the sound of the first voice that caught him off guard. He had last heard it around a month ago in the Hall of Prophecies, issuing from beneath a Death Eater mask. In a heartbeat Harry was on his feet, wand out and directed at the offending man.

Lucius Malfoy blinked in surprise before raising his hands in a surrendering gesture. His lips curved into a small smile, only serving to fuel Harry's anger. "Your reflexes are remarkable," said the blond man, sounding rather impressed.

Seething with anger, Harry barely heard the words, but he didn't move an inch, only tightening his hold on his wand.

"Lower your wand, Potter," said Snape sharply, "he is not the enemy here."

"Yeah, says you! He was one of the Death Eaters at the Ministry! He should be in Azkaban!"

Snape snarled as Malfoy flinched. "If you will allow me to explain," said the older man.

Harry hesitated. He really didn't wand to lower his wand, but the rational part of him wanted to hear what Malfoy had to say. He didn't move until a surge of pain flared through his body and he hissed, biting down on his lip to stifle the sound. Praying neither man had noticed, he cautiously lowered his wand and sank back down in his seat.

"You didn't tell him, Severus?"

"No."

"Tell me what?" questioned Harry, eyes narrowed.

When Snape didn't answer, Malfoy did. "I will be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts this year."

Those green eyes so like his mother's widened in shock. "_You_? But, the Ministry, in June-"

"That was not him," said Snape.

But Harry was not ready to give in just yet. "I _saw_ him!"

"Severus is correct," replied Malfoy swiftly. "It wasn't me."

"Then who the fuck did I see?!"

"Language Potter."

"My wife."

The two men spoke at once, voices melding together, leaving Harry to decipher them. "Yes Sir, sorry Sir," he said immediately and quietly. He ducked his head and missed the silent exchange the two men made.

"The Dark Lord wished for me to lead the attack at the Ministry," said Malfoy after a moment of silence. "unfortunately, I was otherwise...engaged and could not fulfil his request. Dear, sweet Bellatrix convinced the Dark Lord that Cissy should take my place, and though he agreed, he thought you would be more intimidated by me. The person you saw that night was Narcissa Polyjuiced as me."

"Lucius is a spy," said Snape suddenly.

Harry's head snapped up. "What?! Since when?!" He was too surprised to even bother being polite.

Snape once again left Lucius to answer. "The Dark Lord wishes to brand Draco."

The teen blinked, confused for a moment, but quickly caught on and was horrified. "Voldemort wants to brand Mal-Draco with the Dark Mark...? But, he's only sixteen!"

Malfoy nodded once. "I went to the Dark Lord and offered to become a spy for him if he waited until my son was at least an adult before he branded him." He paused and sighed softly. "That same night I came here to see Severus, and I told him what had happened. The Dark Lord had accepted my request, but was expecting a great deal from me. Severus suggested I speak to the Headmaster, who in turn vowed to protect Draco if I spied for him. I agreed and was immediately made the new Defence professor, and it was then that I learned the truth about Severus as well."

Harry stared at the blond man, slowly stroking his wand. He was still a little confused. "What about your wife?"

"We are no longer together," replied Malfoy. "It seems she's had another lover for many years now and I've only just found out. We divorced a week before your OWLs began."

Harry frowned. _Well that explains why Malfoy Junior was so...off and edgy.I guess having your parents divorce or separate must be a tough thing to go through...not that I would know or anything. _"So Mal-Draco'll be okay now?"

"He should be safe, yes," said the blond. "He is aware of the choice I have made and will continue to play along for appearance sake. However, Draco knows that he will not be becoming a Death Eater. Ever. I will not allow my son to make the same mistake I did."

"Lucius is also in the Order now," said Snape after a pause. "The others are aware of his allegiance and expect him to do the same as the rest of us; fight against the Dark Lord and make sure you do not do something foolish."

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "What my friend here means, is that I will protect you, Mr Potter, despite our past differences."

Harry nodded slowly, feeling rather weary. He honestly had no idea what to say. It was very hard to trust either of the two men, but he could clearly see that Malfoy cared deeply for his son. Instead of speaking, Harry returned to picking at his breakfast, still unable to actually eat it. Pain was still coursing through his body and if he was feeling sick before, it was nothing compared to how nauseous he was feeling now.

He heard the two men begin to eat their own breakfast, and kept his head down. Harry was fully aware of how different he was behaving than compared to normal while at Hogwarts, but he was still stuck in his 'Dursley mode', and it always took him a few days to revert to normal...if he even _had_ a normal.

* * *

SS POV

Severus wasn't at all surprised at hearing Lucius' story, knowing the other man had always been quick to make up lies on the spot. He was a Slytherin after all. Though Severus _did_ wonder whether Potter had believed Lucius. Half of what had been said had been a lie.

Severus was feeling very disconcerted. Potter's demeanour at breakfast had bothered him greatly. It was the same as the previous day. He had been hoping that after a good nights sleep, the boy would be back to his defiant, Gryffindor self. It seemed however that that had not happened. Potter's conversation with Lucius had brought the boy back a tad, but as soon as they had finished speaking, he had gone back to that silent, sullen way. Severus did not like it at all.

Potter was hiding something, that, Severus knew. The boy had been wearing a Glamour charm and at one point that morning had clearly been in pain. He hadn't been eating much either and Severus quickly realized that he wished to put these new revelations behind him. Immediately.

He gave his head a shake and headed into his lab. He had work to do. Besides, Potter was probably simply acting in this manner for attention. He was a Potter. It was what they did.

Severus had many potions to brew, both for Poppy and the Dark Lord. He could not waste his time lounging about thinking of The-Boy-Who-Lived-To-Be-A-Pain-In-His-Arse. So sighing inaudibly he got to work.

* * *

HP POV

Harry was standing in front of the potion's store cupboard in the Hospital Wing while under his Invisibility Cloak, Marauders' Map and wand in hand. It was just before lunch, and Harry, who had been trying to withstand all the pain, could no longer do so. He had tried, he really had, and it wasn't as if he hadn't done this before or anything, but knowing that he was at Hogwarts, a place where he could actually do something to rid himself of the pain...

After finally giving in, the first thing he did was check the Marauder's Map. There was no way he was going to sneak into the Hospital Wing without checking where Snape and Malfoy were first. And lucky for him, neither of them were anywhere near where he wanted to go.

Waving his wand, Harry muttered a few words, getting rid of the complex wards that he didn't know were far beyond his level. It was only when the wards had dropped that Harry pulled open the doors to examine the medical supplies within. Having done this more than once, Harry already knew what he was looking for and immediately went for a vial of Pain Relief potion, and the container of Bruise Salve was next. He wished Madam Pomfrey had Murtlap Essence though. It would have definitely helped with the wounds on his back. But Harry wasn't one to complain. He would deal with what he had.

The teen jumped when he heard footsteps behind him. Cursing inwardly at himself for not keeping an eye on the Map, he quickly replaced the wards and backed away, making sure he was completely covered by the cloak. Sliding the potion and salve into his pocket, Harry tightened his grip on his wand and turned to see who had just entered the Hospital Wing. It was Snape.

Harry cursed again. The last thing he needed was for Snape to find him in a place he wasn't supposed to be. Thankful for his ability to move silently, Harry somehow managed to sneak by Snape without the man even noticing a thing. The only reason he knew that was because Snape didn't even glance his way.

Out in the corridor now, Harry checked the Map. He didn't want to use the potion and salve until he was back in Gryffindor Tower. He knew he'd be safe from the two men there...even if they could enter whenever they wanted. Harry doubted the two Slytherins would ever walk right into the Lion's den, empty though it was.

Seeing a dot labelled Lucius Malfoy, Harry immediately realized it was heading straight for him. Quickly, he backed into a nearby niche, holding his breath as the aristocrat passed by. The castle was so quiet, quieter than it was at night when full with students and teachers. Harry feared Malfoy would be able to hear him breathe if he didn't hold back. But Malfoy, just like Snape, didn't seem to notice Harry at all, and continued on into the Hospital Wing where Snape still was.

Though he was curious to know what the two men were talking about, Harry was more keen on getting rid of his pain, and decided it would be best for him to leave before he got caught. This time at least.

So Harry trekked back up to Gryffindor Tower, only stopping when he was standing in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady. It took him a moment to recall Snape's words the previous day about how no password was required, and he quickly headed into the empty Common Room.

Pulling off his Invisibility Cloak, Harry set it aside before sitting down in his favourite armchair. "Mischief Managed," he muttered, tapping the Marauders' Map with the tip of his wand. Putting both items down on top of the cloak, Harry pulled the Pain Relief Potion and Bruise Salve out of his pocket. Uncorking the vial, he downed the potion first, whimpering when it immediately took effect. The Bruise Salve was trickier because he could only apply it to the bruises he could see...

After healing himself the best he could, Harry felt better than he had in weeks. And now that he was no longer in pain, he didn't feel nauseous, instead, he was very hungry. Despite the fact he'd be subjected to the presences of Snape and Malfoy, Harry couldn't wait for lunch. It was only half an hour away, making it pointless for him to sneak down to the kitchens. He could hold out...

Harry was the first one in the Great Hall again. The table set for three was still there, and just like at breakfast, the teen sat down at the side set for one. He was not about to sit next to Snape or Malfoy. Hoping they wouldn't take too long to come down, Harry waited. He had manners of course...not that he had really used them that morning. Well, he'd been rather distracted that morning, there was no denying that.

When Snape and Malfoy walked into the Great Hall, neither of them said anything at first, just sat down across Harry. All three of them served themselves and began to eat in silence.

Harry tried to retain his manners and made sure not to eat like Dudley or Uncle Vernon...or Ron. It could be rather disgusting at times, and no matter how hungry he was, Harry was not about to go that far.

"Am I allowed to use magic?" he asked abruptly as he suddenly remembered earlier that day.

Snape merely sneered at him. "I believe you already know the answer to that, Potter."

Harry's eyes widened slightly from beneath his glasses_. How the hell did Snape know I already used magic? _he wondered._ Why didn't he say anything earlier? Wait, does he know I'm wearing a glamour?_

Malfoy suddenly decided to answer. "It's common sense, Potter," he said. And when Harry still didn't reply, he went on. "You're not to use magic _outside_ school. Does that answer your question?"

Gritting his teeth, Harry nodded. "Yes, _sir_." Proceeding to ignore the other two, he went on eating his lunch, missing the look that was exchanged between the two men.

It wasn't until he was back in the relative safety of his Common Room that Harry allowed himself a moment to sulk. He hated how he was treated like an ignorant child all the time, because he was far from. Why couldn't Snape and Malfoy have simply said, "Yes, you can use magic," or something equally simple?

At least he wasn't hungry any more. He couldn't even remember the last time he had actually been full...not that he'd eaten much at lunch or anything. His stomach wasn't used to too much food yet, so he would have to build that back up as time went on. That wasn't too hard to do though, since he did it every single year...

* * *

LM POV

Lucius did not like the way lunch had gone. Potter had gone through such a dramatic change from between breakfast and lunch, and Lucius was quite confused. The first thing he had noticed was that Potter didn't begin to eat until he and Severus had. The fact he had been eating had been different from the previous meal too, where he had eaten not more than a couple of mouthfulls and pushed the rest around on his plate.

Hoping Potter was only acting the way he was because of the death of his godfather, and would eventually return to normal, Lucius pushed all the strange thoughts and revelations behind him. He did however, wonder whether the teen had believed his tale over breakfast. Half of what he had said was a lie, but he wasn't about to tell the truth to his enemy. If he were to suddenly turn either neutral or dark, then perhaps he would. But for now, Potter needn't know...

**And this is where you guys come in. I hit a huge block in this fic and haven't written anything for it since August. August! It's like, the end of bloody January right now! So, what do you people want to see happen? Because I've no bloody clue. This is literally all I have written up so far, so the next update won't be for a while, so please give me some ideas.**

**As for the pairing thing, two say SS and LM should already be a couple who bring HP into a triad with them, and one says SS and LM shouldn't be together and just fall for HP at the same time. It'll be a triad either way, y'know. Looking forward to reviews!-and ideas! Laterz! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Yo. It's an actual chapter this time! Well what do you know? It only took nine months, but about five since I posted it, but I finally finished the next chapter.**

**You may have noticed I took the vote down. I thought it through, and decided to pick the first option: Harry remains neutral, however SS and LM will remain on LV's side, with HP reluctantly helping every now and again. Most voted for that anyway. Don't worry if you wanted to see a fic where HP creates a third side in the war, like 16 of you voted for. I already have ideas for a fic like that. I hadn't thought of a pairing yet, but I can easily make it SSxHPxLM, so you'll still get that, er, eventually. I haven't actually started writing it yet.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters...**

HP POV  
Harry Potter lay on his four poster bed in his rapidly darkening dorm room. Dinner was approaching very quickly, and Harry didn't know what to do. Snape and Malfoy had been giving him some really funny looks over lunch, and he was worried that they were going to figure everything out. As much as he hated them, even _he_ admitted that they were smart. It couldn't take them _that_ long, especially when there was no one else in the castle for them to focus their attention on.

Harry really wished that Sirius was still here. He hadn't always been the best godfather, but it wasn't like that was his fault. And besides, he _understood_. Sirius had been through some really shitty things himself, and had known immediately that Harry had been hiding something. It had taken more than a year, but finally, Harry had come clean. Harry had told Sirius _everything_. Though that was only after his godfather had told him about his own horrible childhood.

Sirius had told him how his parents had practically been grooming both him and his younger brother to become Death Eaters. They didn't do anything bad if they listened and did as told, but Sirius had always been outspoken, and that often meant he was on the receiving end of his mother's wand. She had been very cruel to him, cursing him whenever she could, sometimes for no reason whatsoever. His father had been better, and never harmed him-yet he hadn't done anything to help him either. Neither had his brother for that matter. And that was why Sirius had run away from home when he had been sixteen. Because he knew there was no reason to stay. Because he knew no one would care.

Harry couldn't remember how long he had sat there in shocked silence after hearing what Sirius had to say. But even then, the only thing running through his mind was, 'He _understands_'. It was like a dam had broken, and everything had come spilling past his lips. He told Sirius how the Dursleys treated him; how they spoke to him-or didn't, starved him, hurt him, locked him up. He told Sirius about how much he despised his fame and the way people treated him for that. He spoke about how much he hated the war and how he felt as if he were being forced to take part in it. He told Sirius everything he had been thinking and feeling and keeping bottled up since he had been left with the Dursleys, and the whole time, his godfather just held him. He held him and let him rant and rave and scream and cry. And when Harry had exhausted himself and fallen asleep right where he sat, his godfather had tucked him into bed and stayed with him all night.

Sirius had promised him that he would never have to go back to the Dursleys again, that he would do anything to get Dumbledore to let him stay with him-with his godfather. Sirius had told Dumbledore everything Harry had told him, and yet, the old man had said still refused. Sirius had been furious at that, and had said he was going to do some sort of blood test at Gringotts, because it would ensure Harry could stay with either him, or someone else trusted. Harry had been confused at that, since his godfather was a wanted man, but Sirius had assured him that the goblins wouldn't care. He belonged to an old and noble family, and business was all that mattered. He had said that he was a Lord, whatever that meant. But before Sirius could do anything...he had died.

And now Harry felt all alone once again. He didn't want to tell anyone else about the Dursleys, or what he was thinking and feeling. He trusted Sirius, loved him dearly, and even then it had taken him so long. Not that it had mattered it the first place. If _Dumbledore_ didn't want to listen, then what could _anyone_ do? No, no one else needed to know. No one had to know that Harry was nearing his breaking point with the Dursleys. No one had to know that Harry hated the old wizened wizard known as Albus Dumbledore. No one had to know that Harry was actually thinking about _leaving_ the Wizarding World to get out of the war. No one.

And that brought Harry right back to where he had started. It was time for dinner and he knew he had no choice but to head down to the Great Hall. Snape and Malfoy would come looking for him otherwise and Harry knew that he wanted to avoid any sort of confrontation. If he was worried about the two men discovering the truth, then he needed to do a better job in hiding it...

As Harry slowly made his way down to the Great Hall, he suddenly realized that he was going to turn sixteen in just a few hours-six, to be specific. Odd how he hadn't noticed before. He generally did, since he'd grown up celebrating his birthday alone. The teen wondered whether his friends would send him anything this time around too. Did they even know where he was? Had anyone bothered to tell them? Why hadn't they contacted him yet? He hadn't gotten a single letter or parcel from them yet-food or otherwise, and Harry doubted Dobby was interfering this time.

Harry was forced to put his thoughts to rest when he entered the Great Hall. Snape and Malfoy were only a few steps ahead of him and both glanced back at him from over their shoulders, abruptly stopping whatever it was that they had been talking about. Giving them a curt, annoyed looking nod-like he'd have done if school were in session, he followed them to the table. They seated themselves as they'd done previously and the green eyed teen waited for the other two to finish serving themselves before he did the same.

The three ate in silence, but Harry was able to feel Snape and Malfoy's eyes on him more than once. He ignored it as best as he could and went on eating, not really wanting to draw their attention, and wishing they would go on ignoring him. Of course, it was not meant to be.

"How was your afternoon, Mr Potter?" asked Malfoy rather suddenly.

"Fine."

"That's fine 'Sir', Potter," corrected Snape.

"Sure, sir." Silence reigned for the next few moments, and Harry, who hadn't taken much food anyway, was quick to finish. "Can I be excused?"

"Very well."

Not even glancing at the two men, Harry pushed away from the table, got to his feet, and walked out of the Hall, fully aware Snape and Malfoy were watching him leave. He didn't acknowledge them at all. It wasn't that odd really, considering he was the arrogant Gryffindor with no care for rules or authority. Harry knew that he wasn't actually going to have to do too much acting, since Snape _always_ seemed to see him as a mini James.

Quickly heading back to Gryffindor Tower, Harry collapsed in his four poster bed in his dorm, and released a deep sigh. He somehow had to trick his mind into really believing that he was safe and not at the Dursleys any more. The teen couldn't risk waiting the two weeks or so it usually took for him to revert back to his normal "Hogwarts mode", especially when Snape and Malfoy were involved. Even just a few minutes ago, at dinner, he knew they had been watching him carefully.

Harry sighed again when he remembered he still had his summer homework to do. He was going to have to make sure he completed it, or he'd probably end up with detention or something. At first he figured he'd begin that evening, but then he suddenly recalled that it was nearly his birthday. He always celebrated the same way every year, and he wasn't going to let homework ruin that tradition. He would begin his homework in a day or two.

Casting a Tempus, he checked the time before sighing a third time and settling down to wait. Harry was going to be turning sixteen in five hours...

* * *

SS POV

The moment Potter left the Great Hall after finishing dinner, Severus released a deep sigh, Lucius doing the same from next to him. They glanced at one another before refocusing on the food in front of them.

"His behaviour has changed again," the dark haired man stated.

"I noticed," replied Lucius.

They remained silent for the next few moments, both lost in their thoughts as they finished up dinner. When they had, they retreated into Severus' quarters and took a seat on the couch.

"What has the old man told you about the boy?" asked Lucius suddenly, breaking the silence.

Severus blinked in surprised at the unexpected question, his mind actually needing to take a second to place it into context. When he understood, he said, "He has told me what I have always thought, what I have told you."

"I see..."

There was yet another silence, broken only when Severus sighed again a while later. "I am going to go brew something," he said, getting to his feet. "I need a distraction."

"If a distraction is what you need," began Lucius, yanking the slightly younger man back down onto the couch by the hand, "I'm sure I can provide you with an adequate one..." He tangled his long fingers into Severus' inky and slightly oily (he was used to it) hair, and pulled him closer.

"Adequate, you say?" murmured Severus silkily, breath ghosting across Lucius' lips.

"Oh, yes..."

* * *

HP POV

"Harry Potter, sir!"

Harry jolted awake suddenly, looking around in confusion, not realizing he had ended up dozing off while waiting for time to pass. He blinked when he noticed someone standing over him. "Dobby?"

"Harry Potter, sir! Dobby has something for you!"

The teen blinked blearily and sat up, focusing on the House Elf, who had jumped down to stand next to his bed instead. "What is it?"

Dobby held out a roll of parchment. "Fiendy Weezys asked Dobby to give mister Harry Potter this letter, sir!"

"Oh, thanks Dobby." Harry reached out to take the letter, and the moment he had, the House Elf gave a giddy squeal and vanished with a crack, leaving the green eyed teen alone once more.

Harry frowned before unrolling the parchment. He had figured out the letter was from the Weasley twins, but wasn't sure why they had had Dobby give it to him, rather than just sending it by owl. Well, staring at the parchment wasn't about to give him the answer, so he figured he might as well read it.

_Harry-__**Harry**_

_You're probably wondering-_

_**-why we're writing to you so suddenly,**_

_sending the letter with-_

_**-Dobby, no less, but we've got-**_

_something important to tell you. _

_**Dumbledore is-**_

_-up to something, and he-_

_**-doesn't want anyone writing-**_

_-to you again. We-_

_**-didn't listen, of course, but that's-**_

_-why we sent the letter with Dobby instead. _

_**We don't know why he's-**_

_-doing this, but we definitely-_

_**-don't agree. But it seems-**_

_-like Ron and Ginny don't feel the-_

_**-same way, and decided not to-**_

_-write to you at all this summer._

_**We spoke to Hermione and she-**_

_-doesn't agree with Dumbledore either._

_**Guess that's it for now-**_

_-we'll write again later._

_**See Ya!**_

_Bye Harry!_

_**Gred**__, Forge_

The frown on Harry's face only deepened after he finished reading the slightly confusing letter. Dumbledore didn't want anyone writing to him? Again? Hadn't he seen what had happened last year when he had made his friends do the same? Fred and George must have clearly remembered, considering they had decided to write to him anyway, and he was glad Hermione seemed to agree with the twins, not that she would be able to mail him yet, considering she was away on vacation with her parents. But Ron and Ginny... Why were they suddenly so keen on listening to the Headmaster?

Not understanding what was going on, Harry got up to place the letter from the twins in his trunk, and it was only then that he noticed how dark it had gotten. Casting a tempus, he saw that it was already half past eleven. _That was one long nap_, he thought in surprise. There was only half and hour, just thirty minutes until he turned sixteen.

He needed to get to the Astronomy Tower before midnight, and it was quite a walk away, even with his shortcuts. Grabbing his Invisibility Cloak, the teen wrapped it around himself and left Gryffindor Tower, forgetting the Marauders' Map in his haste...

Harry's trek to the Astronomy Tower was uneventful. He, luckily, didn't bump into Snape or Malfoy, or Peeves, though he did pass a few ghosts, who didn't seem to notice him at all, not that he was complaining or anything.

When he finally made it to the Tower, Harry removed the Invisibility Cloak and stuffed it into his pocket, sighing contently at the feel of the night breeze against his slightly flushed face. Resting his arms against the railing, he looked up at the starry sky, and smiled. He had really needed this, birthday or not. Harry had always preferred night over day, and dark over light, though he figured that was because of all the time he had spent in the cupboard under the stairs.

A few minutes later, Harry glanced down at his watch, and noted it would be midnight in exactly thirty seconds. He wondered what horrible misfortune was awaiting him in his sixteenth year. _Something_ always was.

Twenty seconds.

Were Ron and Ginny really going to listen to Dumbledore and not write to him at all this summer? Was Hermione really going to _not_ listen to Dumbledore and write to him anyway?

Ten seconds.

Sirius was dead, and he hadn't heard a thing from Remus yet. Did the werewolf hate him for what had happened to his friend? Would Remus ever forgive him? Did he even _deserve_ to be forgiven?

Five seconds.

How much longer was he going to have to fight?

Four seconds.

What would happen if he backed out?

Three seconds.

Would they force him to fight anyway?

Two seconds.

They probably would, wouldn't they?

One second.

Harry just wanted to be free...

Raising his head, Harry's gaze returned to the sky. He wrapped his arms around his middle, hugging himself, and with a small, sad smile, whispered, "Happy birthday, Harry..."

* * *

LM POV

When Lucius rolled away from Severus many hours later, he was quick to note that the other man had already fallen asleep. How strange this role reversal was. Lucius was normally the one who fell asleep immediately, and Severus the one who would lay awake for many more hours.

Sighing, the older man ran his hand through his tousled platinum hair, shoving the covers off his bare body as he did so. It was too hot in here, despite it being the dungeons. He rolled back over to his side, and examined his lover's sleeping face. Serverus' brow was pinched, his expression grim. It seemed he was deep in thought, even in the midst of sleep. Well, he wasn't the only one.

Lucius too was unable to stop thinking about Harry Potter. The boy was nearly an enigma. He knew teenagers often had mood swings (just look at Draco), but Potter's moods and behaviour were just all over the place. It had only been a day, but he simply couldn't figure it out.

Needing to move, the man slid out of the large bed, and slipped on a dressing gown before quietly leaving the room. There was no reason to disturb Severus' sleep for this. Lucius left his lovers' quarters and began to wander, too lost in thought to pay attention to where he was going.

His feet ended up leading him down the same path they always had back when he had been a student in the castle: up to the Astronomy Tower. Smiling a little when he noticed this, he ascended the long staircase, and pushed open the door. He had barely stepped through the threshold, when he realized he wasn't alone.

He took a few cautious steps forward, cursing himself for not having brought his wand, then stopped when he saw who it was. _Speaking of Potter_, thought Lucius, catching sight of that dark, unruly hair. He advanced a few more steps, pausing when he saw the profile of the teen's visage. He was about to reprimand him for being out so late, when Potter looked down at his watch.

An odd, almost morbid expression crossed the boy's face, from what Lucius could see, and he continued to stare at that watch for the next few seconds, seemingly focused on his thoughts. Then suddenly, perhaps thirty seconds later, Potter looked back up at the sky, and wrapped his arms around himself, still not noticing the man's presence.

Lucius opened his mouth to speak, but his jaw nearly snapped shut when he saw the small, sad smile, heard the soft, almost sorrowful, yet wishful words of-

"Happy birthday, Harry..."

Lucius fled.

**Chapter lengths will vary guys, which is why this one is probably shorter than the last two. Um, hopefully the next chapter won't take me another nine months to write. Oh, and I'm on AO3, check my profile-not much to say yet. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	4. Chapter 4

**...Yo? I'm sorry guys, RL's just been shit. And RL and writer's block just really aren't a good mix. Although, I'm afraid this chapter won't be on par with the previous three. It was all I could manage. Anyway, thank you to all readers so far, and an extra to those who reviewed!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters...  
**  
HP POV  
BANG!

The slam of a door pulled Harry out of his reverie, and he immediately turned around to look behind him. The door that led to the top of the tower, where he was, was closed, and no one was there. _Had the door always been closed? Was that even the door that he had just heard? Well, it wasn't like there were any other doors around. Had the wind slammed it shut then? But there was only a slight breeze._

Figuring staying out there wasn't the best course of action at the moment, Harry reluctantly returned to Gryffindor Tower and into his dorm room. He lowered himself onto his bed and closed his eyes...but he couldn't fall asleep.

Getting back up, he padded over to the window and peered outside. It didn't look like there were _any _owls flying towards him, bearing gifts or not. Had the twins been right, then? Were Ron and Ginny really not going to bother contacting him at all? Even on his birthday? On vacation in a Muggle location, Hermione had a perfectly valid excuse, but the other two...

Taking off his glasses, he rubbed his eyes and sighed. He headed back to bed and decided he would think further in the morning. For now, he just wanted some peace...

When Harry awoke in the morning, it was to a tapping sound on the dorm window. Blinking tiredly, he rose out of bed, only to see four owls on the other side of the glass. He stared uncomprehendingly for a moment, before grinning and opening the window, allowing the birds in.

They flew in and circled around his head, hooting, before landing on his bed. Still grinning, he headed back over and sat down. The only bird he recognized was his own beloved snowy Hedwig, and he removed the package she was carrying first. With an affectionate nip to his fingers, she flew across the room to the makeshift perch that was the pole of his bed, seemingly intent on sleeping right there.

Setting the package down, he removed the other three from the rest of the owls, all of whom flew off right after. They must not have needed immediate responses.

Once alone again, Harry focused on the four parcels sitting innocently on his bedspread. He had thought he wasn't going to be getting anything at all for his birthday this year, and was pleased to see he had been wrong. So, who had sent him these? And who hadn't sent him anything at all?

He went for the cards and letters first, scanning the end for the names, and found the three mystery owls had brought gifts from the Weasley twins, Neville, and Luna, while Hedwig had brought one from Hermione, as she had done back before his third year. Harry was surprised, but thrilled, and also slightly disappointed to see nothing from Ron or even Ginny. But he pushed that away quickly, focusing on the thought of those who _had _decided to send him wishes on his birthday.

He reached for Hermione's gift first. The card simply wished him a happy birthday, and said that they would properly speak soon. It didn't mention Dumbledore forbidding her from contacting him, but Harry knew his brainy friend was too smart to mention something like that here.

Unsurprisingly, Hermione had sent him a book. But, surprisingly, it was one he would gladly read. It was on Defence, similar to the ones he had used for the DA the previous year. He flipped through it eagerly. He doubted he was going to have to resume the DA, knowing who their professor was going to be this time around, but there were no rules saying he couldn't learn something extra on the side... Which, now that he thought about it, he should've been doing anyway what with the whole Voldemort thing, right?

Realizing that only made him wonder why he _hadn_'t been doing that. Why no one had been bothering to do that. Did they really expect him to just...do it? Or were they waiting until he finished school? Either way, both reasons were stupid. He'd already taken on Voldemort, what?-five times? Four? He'd still done so more than anyone else. Or were they just hoping he would get lucky and somehow, miraculously end up killing the Dark Lord?

And then he froze, that last thought finally being properly processed. The Wizarding world wanted him to _kill _someone. They wanted him to _kill_! How had he not realized this before? What would they do to _him _if he did as they wanted? Would they punish him? Would they lock him up?

Harry's stomach sank as he suddenly realized something. He already _had _killed someone! Hadn't he ended up killing Quirrell in his first year? When he was-oh Merlin, only _eleven_!?

Feeling sick, he pushed those thoughts away, and focused on unwrapping the rest of his presents, none of which were books...

* * *

SS POV  
When Severus woke in the morning, it was to an empty bed. Where was Lucius? Sitting up, he brushed hair out of his eyes and peered around, noting that neither his lover, nor his clothes, were anywhere to be found. Strange. Had something come up perhaps? It was not often that the Malfoy left him alone in bed.

Shrugging inwardly, Severus left his room and began preparing for the day. He was not looking forward to seeing Potter again (Curse you, Dumbledore!), but it wasn't as if he had much of a choice.

When he finally reached the Great Hall, the Potions Master paused in surprise. Lucius was seated at the table alone, pointed face drawn in contemplation. What was he thinking of that had brought him here so early? Severus, after all, was the punctual early riser, between the two.

Hiding a frown, he joined his older lover at the table, taking a seat beside him. "Lucius?" he spoke, as he reached to pour himself some coffee.

The Malfoy released a sound, one that was almost questioning, but he didn't respond any further. Severus, though concerned, chose to remain silent, and allow Lucius to work out whatever it was that was bothering him. He would tell him in his own time, and there was no reason to push that.

"Eat, Lucius."

"Hmm."

Still concealing a frown, the Potions Master began to eat, briefly wondering where Potter was. It was already fifteen past nine-he was late.

As if he had heard these thoughts, Harry Potter strolled into the Hall at that very moment. He appeared to hesitate just slightly, before making his way to the table, and sitting down across them.

"Late, Potter," Severus spoke without thought.

The boy blinked, and then gave a sort of half shrug. "Sorry, Sir. I was opening some mail."

The dark haired man sneered. "Fan mail, no doubt."

Green eyes narrowed, as Potter shot him a glare. "Birthday presents from my few friends, actually, not that it's any of your business."

_His behaviour had changed once again._

"And for your information, the only _fan mail_ I've ever received is from people wishing to tell me that I will become the next Dark Lord, or that I should have died as an infant. Excuse me." And without even beginning to eat, Potter got to his feet and left the Hall.

"You should have let him be," said Lucius suddenly. "At least for today."

Severus blinked, surprised by the words, and actually turned in his seat to look at the older man closely. Had Lucius Malfoy just _defended _Harry Potter of all people?

"It's his birthday, Severus," said the blond a moment later, with an elegant motion akin to a shrug. "He's already trapped here alone with the two of us, no? The least we can do is allow him to enjoy himself for this one day. He's still obviously mourning for his godfather anyway. Why begrudge a single day of happiness?"

The Potions Master had no idea what to say to that. He knew the words were true, of course, but... Why was his lover speaking like this? It was almost as if he knew something that he-Severus, didn't, and that was strange in itself. He wasn't-hadn't been, a spy for so long for nothing.

His eyes narrowed. Had Potter said something to Lucius?

* * *

HP POV  
Harry, irritated, returned to the common room, muttering under his breath. Couldn't Snape have just left him alone? Just for today? How hard was that? It wasn't as if he had gotten late for breakfast on purpose. He really had just gotten caught up in opening his presents, and lost track of time. No harm, right? It was just breakfast, and hell, it was his birthday for Merlin's sake!

Collapsing into one of the squashy armchairs by the unlit fire, the teen huffed again, before telling himself he was being stupid for getting so upset. It was Snape, after all. What did he know about being polite, or birthdays? He probably never celebrated his own, so he likely couldn't care less about anyone else's...right? Then why did the voice in his head saying that sound suspiciously like Ron?

Groaning, Harry removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes tiredly, suddenly realizing he hadn't received even a little note from Remus. Was he just busy? Was he away on a mission? Or did he not send anything on purpose, just not wanting to have anything to do with the the dark haired teen?

Frustration building, he forcefully shoved those thoughts away. He didn't want to think about this, not today. He sighed. Maybe it would be best if he went flying instead. That was always the best way to to get rid of building stress, he knew. It always worked.

He was half way up the stairs to the dorm, when he remembered he had to ask for permission first, and groaned again. Crap. He had wanted to fly to help forget about Snape and Malfoy, but to do so, he was going to have to interact with them again. Man... Well, the sooner he got this out of the way, the better, right?

Nodding to himself, he went to grab the Marauders' Map, attempting to locate the two men. Snape, he discovered quickly, was in his private potion lab. Ugh, was he really going to have to go all the way down to the dungeons? Maybe Malfoy was somewhere closer... The library? Huh, well, at least it wasn't the dungeons.

"_Mischief managed_." Map cleared, he returned it to its proper place, then made his way over to the library. It was probably going to be easier to talk to the blond anyway. Snape would just belittle him again or something, just like he always did, no matter the circumstances...

Harry found Lucius Malfoy seated at one of the tables near the back windows of the library. He was reading what appeared to be a book on vampires. Weird. Approaching, he cleared his throat.

The blond all but jolted, head snapping over. "Mr Potter. What a...peasant surprise. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yeah, er, well, I uh, just wanted to fly for a while, but uh, Sna-er, Professor Snape said I have to ask for permission first, so uh..." he trailed off awkwardly.

Understanding dawned on the pale face. "Ah, yes. Of course you may go flying. Please remain on the Quidditch pitch, and be sure to return to the castle before dark."

No insults, no raised voices, no sneers, no condescending attitude. _Is he sick or something? This so isn't normal for him_. "Er, yes, sir." Not wanting to stay here any longer, just in case, Harry nodded quickly and left the man be.

He hurried back to his dorm, grabbed his broom, and left the castle, walking out to the pitch. It was a nice day out, he noted. A light breeze, and partly cloudy sky. Already feeling more relaxed, he mounted his broom, kicked off from the ground, and shot up like a bullet.

The wind whipped through his hair, and the teen released a cheerful whoop of laughter, all his worries left on the ground below him. Slowing down, he soared through the air, making lazy laps around the pitch.

He'd really needed this, he told himself silently. Birthday or not, he'd needed this desperately. He sighed in content, and then grinned when Hedwig suddenly flew up next to him, easily keeping pace with him. "Hey there, girl."

She hooted happily, circling over his head to fly to his left, and Harry couldn't help but laugh, which was echoed by a second hoot. Still laughing, Harry sped up, noting his beloved owl did the same, so they could keep flying together. And this entire time, he didn't notice that a certain blond was watching him closely...

* * *

LM POV  
Lucius and Severus separated after breakfast. He knew he was behaving strangely, and that his lover had noticed just that. But every time he thought he would explain, he would always end up remembering what he had seen the previous night. That sad, morbid look in Potter's eyes haunted him, and he couldn't stop it from happening.

Irritated with himself for allowing this, he made his way to the library, taking a seat at one of the tables near the back, near the windows. He simply sat there for a moment, head in his hands, before realizing he needed to push these thoughts away. So, getting to his feet, he searched for a few books, barely paying attention to what they were about, before taking his seat again.

Cracking open one of the tomes, he began to read...only to find himself unable to concentrate on the written words.

Why had Potter seemed to upset last night? Wasn't his birthday something to be joyous about? Draco certainly was always excited for his own, and so were his son's friends. The raven haired teen was the only child he had seen _upset _because of that fact. He stared at the page of his book, unseeing.

It was the sudden sound of someone clearing their throat that had Lucius jolting out of his thoughts, and when he turned to look behind him, he found that the very person occupying his mind was standing right there, peering at him almost cautiously.

Not at all surprised when the boy asked for permission to go outside and fly, he granted it immediately, somewhat amused that he had come to him, rather than Severus. Though, that really wasn't all that strange. _He _was attempting to be kind, while Severus had no such qualms.

Left alone again, Lucius peered out the window, noting he could see the Quidditch pitch from where he was. Well, wasn't that convenient?

He watched curiously as Potter appeared with his broom over his shoulder, watched him take off into the air in a blur of movement, watched as his owl came to fly with him, and found himself wishing he could see the expression on the teen's face, in his eyes. Was he finally enjoying himself? Or was he still upset?

Why did the last of those thoughts bother him so much? What did it matter? Why did he care? Was it because he was worried this was how his own Dragon would react if he lost Severus-his godfather? Or was there another, deeper reason?

Lucius just didn't know, didn't understand. The boy was an enemy. A reluctant one, but an enemy nonetheless, wasn't he? Why should he care like this for the enemy?

Yet, even as he told himself this, his grey gaze couldn't help but flit back over to the window, back to Harry Potter, soaring through the air, as graceful as the owl who flew by his side...

**And that's it for now. Like I said up top, this isn't exactly on par with the rest, but this was the best I could do, considering the circumstances. I'm far too mentally exhausted to think of anything else to say here, so, looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


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